TO THE VICTORIA & GEORGE CROSS

Victor Buller Turner (1900-1972) was born on 17th January 1900 in Reading, Berkshire, the son of Major Charles Turner of the Royal Berkshire Regiment and his second wife, Jane Elizabeth, only daughter of Admiral Sir Alexander Buller. He was the younger brother of Alexander Buller Turner VC and was also related to General Sir Redvers Buller VC.

Turner was educated at Parkside School, Surrey, Wellington College, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, before being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Rifle Brigade in 1918. He served in the campaign in Iraq in 1919–20, was promoted Major in 1938 and Lieutenant-Colonel in 1942 while serving in the Middle-East, before the action in which he was awarded the VC.

On 27th October 1942, at El Aqqaqir, Western Desert, Egypt, during the Second Battle of El Alamein, Lieutenant Colonel Turner was commanding a battalion of the Rifle Brigade. After overcoming a German position, the battalion fought off desperate counter-attacks by 90 tanks, destroying or immobilising more than 50 of them. During the action, one of the 6-pounder guns was left with only one officer and a sergeant, so Colonel Turner joined them as loader, and between them they destroyed another five tanks. Not until the last tank had been repulsed did he consent to having a wound in his head attended to.

He was gazetted for the VC on 20th November 1942, and lived at Thatcham House before moving to Norfolk after the war and retired from the army in 1949. In 1950 was appointed to the Royal Household, with a post in the ceremonial King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard and rose to be "Clerk of the Cheque and Adjutant" of the Guard in 1955. He was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1966 in connection with his services to the Royal Household and was promoted to Lieutenant of the Queen's Bodyguard in 1967.

Victor Buller Turner died on 7th August 1972 in Ditchingham, Norfolk and was cremated at St Faith’s Crematorium, Norwich. His ashes were interred at St Mary’s Churchyard, Ditchingham, Norfolk. His medals including his VC, CVO, General Service Medal 1918-62, 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal 1939-45, War Medal 1939-45 and Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal 1953 are held and displayed by the Royal Green Jackets Museum, Winchester, Hampshire.